The Kids from Yesterday
by sparklyturtle
Summary: There are few things in this world that Harry Potter loves more than his children.
1. James Sirius

At exactly 12am, a wail goes through the maternity ward in Saint Mungo's.

Ginny Potter's face is bright red and dripping with sweat, but that doesn't matter. The baby is out and that's all she cares about.

The nurses take the baby- their son- away to clean him up, and Ginny releases her husband's hand with a sigh as she flops back onto the pillows. Harry's certain she broke _at least_ two of his fingers during the labour, but at this moment he couldn't care less; all he can do is beam from ear to ear.

Ginny looks up at him with a grin, and gives a shaky laugh. "I'm so proud of you, Gin," Harry tells her, leaning down to kiss her sticky forehead.

The nurse hands Ginny her baby- "Watch his head, love". She nearly bursts into tears as Harry leans over to see their son. He's a little ball of fluff, his little pink face poking through the fuzzy blue blanket.

"Just midnight!" says the nurse, looking at her watch. "You've a Halloween baby, looks it!"

Harry goes stiff. "October 31st," he says quietly, seeing the recognition dawn on Ginny out of the corner of his eye. "Wow."

"Any idea of a name for the wee lad?" the nurse asks, clearly oblivious.

"Well, I think we'll _have_ to call you after him," Harry's voice breaks a bit as he looks down at his son. "Won't we, James?"


	2. Rubeus Arthur

It's a crisp February afternoon as the Potters lead their boys down the rocky slope towards the Forbidden Forest.

Jamie sits atop his father's shoulders, singing a little song to himself as he plays with the unruly mop of raven hair which sits on Harry's head. Ginny grins up at her husband as she cuddles their new baby against her chest.

Smoke billows out of the chimney of Hagrid's hut as they draw nearer. Harry steals a glance into the forest as Ginny knocks on the door, shivering as he remembers the last time he was there.

"Well, 'ello there!" Hagrid cries as he pulls the door open, Jamie jumping into his arms from his father's shoulders. "'Ow are ye doin', then?"

Ginny goes in first, giving the giant a peck on the cheek as she passes him and Harry barely gets in the door before he's bombarded with a hug.

Ginny sits down on the large bed with a sigh. Hagrid sets Jamie down on the floor beside Fang and sets himself down at the table. "Can I?" he asks, nodding to the bundle of blankets in Ginny's arms.

"You don't have to ask, Hagrid!" Ginny laughs, gently handing over her son. Hagrid gently cradles the baby, cooing down at him.

"So 'ave ye got a name for 'im yet?" he asks, looking up as Harry pulls Jamie up onto his knee. "Anything in mind?"

"Well," Ginny says, a smile playing on her lips. "We wanted to call him after our dads."

"Arthur James?" Hagrid asks. "That's nice."

"Actually, Arthur is his _middle_ name," Ginny smiles. Harry tries not to laugh at the confused look on Hagrid's face.

"But you can't call the two of 'em James," Hagrid says, his brows furrowing.

"We're not," Harry snickers. "He's called Rubeus."

It takes a moment for him to get it, but when it clicks, Hagrid starts bawling like the baby in his arms.


	3. Lily Molly

"What do you think?" Ron asks as he balances Ru on his hip. "Will she do?"

"S'pose," the toddler shrugs, but he bursts into giggles from the look he receives from his mother. Ginny breaks into a smile.

"She's really small, daddy," Jamie grins as he stands on tip-toes, trying to peak into his sister's cot. Harry stands behind him, gazing down in awe at his little girl.

"She'll get bigger, though," Ginny said from the bed. "You can play with her then, Jamie."

"So, what's her name, then?" Hermione asks, taking a seat beside the bed and resting her hands on her huge stomach.

"Haven't decided yet," Harry says quickly, his brow furrowing. Ron looks at his sister and wife in confusion. Ginny shrugs.

"I thought you'd call her after your mum, Harry," Hermione says carefully. "Don't you want that?"

Harry shrugs, refusing to look up from the cot. "I dunno, 'Mione," he says quietly. "It might just be a burden on her."

"A _burden_?" his wife cries. "Why would you think that?"

"People will see 'Lily Potter' and expect her to be mum," Harry sighs, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Wherever she goes, Gin, it'll always be right there, with no escape."

"Jamie's called after your dad, though," Ron asks, scratching the back of his neck. "What's the difference, mate?"

"He's not _James_ , though," Harry says, smiling softly as his son babbles away to the baby. "Being 'Jamie' makes a difference, but she'd be Lily no matter what. She'd never get to be her own person."

"Harry, you're being ridiculous," Ginny shakes her head, taking Ru from her brother and pulling him up beside her. "Of course she'll be her own person, whether we call her after your mum or not!"

"But they'll always have it harder _anyway_!" Harry snaps, causing Jamie to jump. "I'm worried enough about them being stuck in _my_ shadow! _I_ grew up in my shadow, Gin, and it's not exactly easy!"

He sighs and looks down as his daughter wakes, rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists.

"Hello, Lily," Jamie says after a beat, looking back down at his baby sister.

Harry looks up at his wife with a sad smile and nods. He ruffles Jamie's curls with one hand and reaches into the cot with the other. His daughter wraps her tiny hand around his finger, and something just fits.

"That's right, Jamie," he whispers. "Hello, Lily."


End file.
